AUSTIN REITER

– The Kansas City Chiefs released starting offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz on Thursday as they sought to squeeze under the salary cap. Fisher and Schwartz were instrumental in helping the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers for their first Super Bowl title in 50 years. Fisher tore his Achilles tendon in the AFC title game and Schwartz missed half the season with a back injury. AdThe Chiefs signed the 31-year-old Schwartz in 2016 to bookend with Fisher on a revamped offensive line. Now, the Chiefs intend to rebuild their offensive line without Fisher and Schwartz factoring in.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) sits on the turf during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will have surgery this week on the turf toe injury he suffered in the playoffs, likely sidelining him for the start of the offseason program but ensuring he'll be ready well before training camp. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the plans had not been disclosed publicly. NFL Network was first to report that Mahomes would have surgery on Wednesday. Bieniemy's contract expired after the Super Bowl in part because the Chiefs never thought he would get through another round of coaching hires without landing a head coaching job somewhere else.

Now, the Chiefs will have to take a much different tact if they want to make their third consecutive Super Bowl. While their core group is signed for the next several years, the Chiefs have a raft of important contributors that are due to hit free agency. Ad“Like all teams, we'll get busy here going down the road,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday. “Every year is different because of your cap situation and what you have and what you need,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. WELCOME BACKThe Chiefs should get some help from guys that were injured or opted out of this past season.

The Buccaneers didn't even give him time to skim their defense in the Super Bowl. He was 26 of 49 for 270 yards and two interceptions in a 31-9 blowout that denied the Chiefs back-to-back titles. “They had a good game plan,” said Mahomes, whose quarterback rating of 52.3 was by far the worst of his career. The first-half numbers were striking: Mahomes was 9 of 19 for 67 yards, while Tampa Bay counterpart Tom Brady had dominated the Chiefs defense for 140 yards passing and three TDs in staking the Buccaneers to a 21-6 lead. “To the last snap,” Reid said, “he was trying to win that football game.”It was just that kind of night for Mahomes.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (11) catches a pass ahead of Cleveland Browns cornerback Terrance Mitchell, left, during the second half of an NFL divisional round football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Kansas City. – The Kansas City Chiefs placed a pair of backups, wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and center Daniel Kilgore, on the COVID-19 list as close contacts Monday as they begin final preparations for the Super Bowl against Tampa Bay. Neither of the players actually tested positive for COVID-19, which means Robinson — a regular contributor — and Kilgore could still play in the Super Bowl. "I could only imagine, and I don’t even want to imagine, what it would be to have to miss the Super Bowl because of COVID. He would provide depth behind Kelce and Nick Keizer while allowing Kansas City to use three-tight end sets.

Kansas City Chiefs guard Stefen Wisniewski celebrates at the end of the AFC championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs were supposed to have a talented lineup of millionaires, each a seasoned veteran of the rough-and-tumble NFL, protecting their half-billion dollar quarterback as they defended their Super Bowl title this season. Instead, they'll have a motley cast of late-round draft picks, journeymen and castoffs making up their offensive line. Austin Reiter was the expected center with Laurent Duvernay-Tardif at right guard and Mitchell Schwartz, also a former All-Pro and one of the league's most durable players, handling right tackle. Get it to my playmakers in space and let them make some good things happen.”___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

The Kansas City Chiefs won their first NFL title since 1970 when they beat San Francisco in last year's Super Bowl. What we get Sunday is a matchup of dynamic offenses and overlooked defenses, the top two teams in the conference. Kansas City (15-2) has the confidence of a reigning champion and a charisma few NFL teams can match. That could provide an edge over Bills rookie Tyler Bass — except that Bass has been very reliable all season. Buffalo punter Corey Bojorquez and Kansas City rookie Johnny Townsend were two of the most dependable in the AFC.